David Kent

PercussionChamber MusicOrchestral Repertoire

﻿Toronto-born David Kent has been principal timpanist with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) since 1981. He received his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in music from the University of Toronto. During the course of these studies he focused on new music as well as ethnomusicology and anthropology. In addition to studying timpani with Fred Hinger in New York, he studied the mrdangam with the Master South Indian drummer Trichy Sankaran. While travelling throughout the world, David acquired an extensive collection of percussion instruments from Africa, Asia, Indonesia, the Caribbean, South America, and Europe.

Several new compositions have been written for and recorded by David, often incorporating his instrument collection. These pieces include Henry Kucharzyk's Walk The Line, John Hawkins's Breaking Through, and Claude Vivier's Cinque chansons pour percussions. David has also played timpani with the World Philharmonic Orchestra and has appeared as a soloist with the TSO, Festival Singers, New Music Concerts, National Youth Orchestra, and ArrayMusic. He was a founding director of both ArrayMusic and the Via Salzburg chamber music series. He is also active as a teacher and performer at music festivals throughout Canada, and has contracted many orchestras such as those for the Three Tenors concerts.